Vestibule-car



(No Model.) I 4Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. K. GRIFFIN.

VBSTIBULE GAR. NO. 455,427. Patented July '7 1891..

WlT/VES E8: INVENTOR (Nd Mbdel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. K. GRIFFIN.

VESTIBULE GAR.

No. 455,427. Patented July 7,1891.

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J. K. GRIFFIN. I VESTIBULE GAR. No. 455,427. PatentedfJuly 7,-1891.

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VBSTIBULE GAR. No. 455,427. Patented July 7, 18.91.

WIT/758858: INVENTOR A T TOR/V5 7-7.

- tibule Oars I "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JAMES KENT GRIFFIN, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

VESTIBU LE-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 455,427, dated July '7, 1891. Application filed October 29,1890. Serial No. 369,650. (No model.)

To all 2077,0722, it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, JAMES KENT GRIFFIN, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vesand Connections Therefor, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same. i

The object of this invention is to provide -a more simple and effective vestibule connection for cars and means for inclosing the space between them than any heretofore known or used, and also to provide a better, more simple, economic, and effective construction or device from which such vestibule connection may be formed.

My invention involves the formation or production of an inclosing device consisting of steel springs or other elastic equivalent, provided preferably with supporting-frames, so constructed as to in and of itself meet the requirements of constantly-shifting pressure and strains in various directions caused by themovement of the cars when the train is in motion, and form a firm and elastic connection or vestibule which will dispense with the complicated mechanism now in use. For this purpose I construct a hood or cover, preferably arch shaped in cross vertical section, for each car or vestibule, which, when in position is adapted to close the space between the cars and complete the vestibule, of spiral springs arranged preferably horizontally and contiguous to each other, interlocked, interwoven, or separate, of such size, tension, and strength that when united or formed into a whole the device thus produced will be sufficient to withstand the buffeting and shifting of the cars, of such rigidity as to be self-sustaining, and of such flexibility as to yield in any direction thatmay be necessary, the springs being united or formed into a whole by being rigidly secured at their ends to arched supports formed to inclose and cover the space between the cars.

My invention is frilly described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which similar reference-numerals designate like or equivalent parts wherever found throughout the a portion of the spring construction which forms the body of the vestibule connection and the other a portion of a cover for the same; and Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent de-- tails of my improvement.

I preferably form my vestibule connection of two separate similar sections 1, archshaped, as shown in Fig. 2, one of which is connected with each vestibule or car in such a manner that they meet when the cars are coupled and remain in close contact by the tension of the spring fabric or bodies thereof upon the uniting faces or plates with which they are provided. In the form shown the separate sections of the hood or arched connections are provided with two end pieces 2 and 3, each of which are preferably archshaped, a portion of the part 2 being shown in front elevation in Fig. 7 and in cross-section in Fig. 8, both being on an enlarged scale,

and a portion of the part 3 being shown in detail and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 5 and a modification thereof in Fig. (5. The part 2 constitutes the arched support at one end of a section of the hood by which it is secured to the vestibule of the car, and the part 3 a similar support on the opposite end of the section, also constituting a face-plate against which a similar support or face-plate on the opposite section abuts when the cars are coupled. The space between these end pieces 2 and 3 in each section is filled in with and the end pieces or supports are secured together by spiral springs 4, arranged, preferably, horizontally and contiguous, as shown, or they may be interlocked or interwoven or separate, of such size, tension, and strength that when united and secured to the end pieces, and the separate sections of a hood or vestibule thus formed are brought together by the coupling of the cars, the vestibule con IOO nection thus produced will be sufficient to withstand the buffeting and shifting of the cars, and of such rigidity as to be self-sustaining, and of such flexibility as to yield in any direction that may be necessary. The most successful and effective way to accomplish this result consists in .the arrangement shown, in which the body of the separate sections of the vestibule connection consists of spiral springs arranged horizontally and preferably so that the coils of the separate springs mesh with each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4t and in detail in Fig. 9, the springs being firmly secured to the end pieces by means of grooves or recesses 5 formed in each, within which the ends of the springs are placed, after which the grooves or recesses are filled in with lead or other suitable substance, as shown at 6 in'Figs. G and 8. It will be seen that as thus constructed the body portion of each arched sec tion of the hood or vestibule connection or that part thereof between the end pieces is composed entirely of the springs 4, and it may be almost entirely closed or rendered sufficiently so to exclude draft or moisture by filling in the spaces within the spiral springs with any suitable elastic substance adapted to the purpose, as shown at 7 in Fig. 9; and in addition to this, or independent thereof, Icontemplate the use or employment of a flexible cover 8 for the body portion of the vestibulesections, composed-of any preferred material, preferably water-proof, so arranged on either side of the vestibule as to cover the entire spring portion thereof, loosely or in folds, to admit of the shifting, contraction, or expansion thereof, caused by the movement of the ears, and these covers may be so arranged as to admit of being rolled up or folded, as shown in Fig. 1. It is evident, however, that the filling or packing '7 within the springs, or the cover 8, or both, may be omitted with advantage under certain circumstances, as when it is very warm, when the open-work of the vestibule connection will assist materially in the ventilation of the cars if the doors communicating therewith are left open.

\Vhen the cars are coupled, the separate sections of my improved vestibule connection come together, as-shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the end supports 3 serving as abutting face-plates and constitute a complete vestibule hood or connection. The separate sections are secured together by the pressure of the springbody portion of each, and to prevent the lateral displacement or slipping apart of the face-plates I preferably employ the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, either form of whichwill serve the purpose. That shown in Figs. at and 5 consists simply of a socket 9, formed in the face-plate or support of one of the sections, and a bolt or pin 10, formed with or secured to the face-plate or support of the opposite section on either or both sides thereof, and at the top, if necessary, in such manner that when the sections are brought together by the coupling of the cars, the bolts 10 will enter the sockets 9. To facilitate this operation, I form on or attach to the sides of the face-plates a guide 11, the operation of which will be apparent. The socket 9 is preferably formed vertically oblong, in order to admit of a slight vertical motion or movement of the sections without throwing strain upon the spring-body portion; but this is comparativcly immaterial, as this would be so distributed as to be almost imperceptible, and the socket may be formed so as to be entirely filled by the plug or bolt. In the form shown in Fig. 6 the face-plates are made wider and thinner, and the-sockets are formed at the sides of and extend through the face-plates. This form admits of the use of longer bolts, and makes a more secure connection, the spring or guide 11 being also employed, if desired.

It is evident that I may employ end pieces or supports of different form or construction and attach the springs thereto by other means without departing from the scope of my invention, all that is necessary being that the connection between the end pieces orsupports and the springs be secure, and that the former be so made that one end of each section maybe securely attached to the car and the other so that when the cars are coupled the sections will properly abut. I may also form the connecting sections so that the abutting faceplates will be at the top only, the dividingline being at the top and parallel with the line of the cars, in which case one section would constitute one entire side of the vestibule connection, and being secured to one car would extend over and couple directly with the otherwhen the cars were brought together, and the separate sections would abut at the top only. These and many other modifications of the principles of my invention will readily suggest themselves, and while "preferring the form of connection shown and described I do not limit myself thereto. WVith this construction the end pieces 2 are secured to the stanchions 12, and these, together with the vestibule-doors 13, are substantially the same as those now employed.

The floor 1t of my vestibule connection is composed, preferably, of a plate or plates of any desired material secured together, of such width as to fill or nearly fill the entire space between the stanchions 12, and of such length as to extend some distance at each end over the car-platforms or the floor of the vestibule proper when the cars are coupled, and to each end of this I preferably secure anadditional extension consisting of a spring-mat made, preferably, of longitudinal or interwovenwire springs in the same manner as the sections of my vestibule connections,but much lighter; or they maybe woven or braided in any desired manner, all thatis necessary being that they be capable of expansion longitudinally and diagonally and possessed of such elasticity as will enable them to resume their original form whenever described, I may employ a'tloor-piece com-.

released from strain or tension. Each end of this floor-piece is removably secured, as'at 16 in Fig. 3, to the floor of the car platform or vestibule in any suitable manner, and when so made and attached will admit of any possible movement of the cars when coupled, by reason of the spring-extension, and will always remain in proper pisition. I prefer to. make the center piece H slightly less in width than the space between the stanchions 12, and attach to the sides thereof rubber strips, as 17, which will yieldwith the movement of the cars and maintain at all times a practically complete flooring for the vestibule connection over the coupling mechanism of the cars;

Instead of the construction here shown and posed entirely of spring-matting, so formed aslto becapable of longitudinal, lateral, and diagonal expansion, and such a floor-piece may be formed in the'same manner as my vestibule connection.

Constructed as herein described my invention constitutes-a safe,durable,-and economical vestibule connection, one which is absolutely self-sustaining andwhich, when the separate sections thereof are brought together in the manner described by the coupling of the cars, will remain firmly closed and admit in and of itself of any and all possible movements ofthe cars while coupled, the abutting face-plates being at all times and under all changes of position pressed firmly together by the springs constituting the body portions of the sections, and prevented from slipping out of contact under themost violent lateral or vertical movement of the cars by the tension of the spring-body portion or by the. locking devices described.

The spring-body portion of the sectionsconstitutes under all circumstances a perfect pressure-equalizer in any and all positions of the cars, yielding readily in any direction Vertically, laterally, longitudinally, and diagonally, yet always self-sustaining, and resuming and maintaining theirnorrnal shape and position at once when released from pressure ortorsion.

.I do not limit myself to the form of spring fabric or body portion for my connecting-section shown and described, as many, changes therein may be. made without producing any material dilference in the results, and I re-. gard any spring-connecting substance or body used for this purpose capable of producing substantially the same results as coming within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, its

construction, and operation, what I claim, and

desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Acompletevestibuleconnection for cars, consisting of two similar sections, each of which is composed of an elastic spring-body portion consisting of contiguous interwoven or interlocked spring-wires and two end pieces or supports, one of which. is adapted to be attached to a car and the other to form a faceplate or abutting surface by which the sections are unitedwhen the cars-are coupled, substantially as shown and described. 7

2. A connecting-section for vestibule-cars, consisting of two end portions or supports and a body portion composed of contiguous interwoven or interlocked spring-wires, substa-ntially as shown and described.

3. A complete vestibule connection for cars, consisting of two similar sections, one attached to each car, each'consisting of two end portions or supports, and a body portion composed of So elastic spring-wires which till the space between the end portions, substantially as shown and described. I

4. A complete vestibule connection for cars, consisting of two similar sections, one attached 8 5 to each car, each having an elastic spring bod T ortion consistin of contiguous interp a:

woven or interlocked springs, and each, section so arranged that the vestibule connection is completed by the coupling of the cars, sub: stantially as shown and described.

.5- A complete vestibule connection for cars, consistingof separate sections, one'attached to each car, having spring body portions consisting of contiguous interwoven or inter-v locked-.spring-wires, the sections being attached lo the cars so that the vestibule connection is completed when the cars are coupled by the corresponding ends of the sections coming in contact, the contact thereof being main- Ioc tained'by the action of the spring body portions, substantially as shown and described.

6. A section of a'vestibule connection for cars, consisting of a spring body portion composed of contiguous interwoven or inter-. locked spring-wires provided at each end with proper supports, one of which is adapted to be secured to a car, the section being self-sustaining when so attached and the free end being capable of movement in any direction no by reason of the elasticity of the body portion, substantially as shown and described.

7. A complete vestibule connection for cars,

I consisting oftwo similar sections, one attached to each car, each composed of a springbody I15 portion consisting of contiguous interwovenv or interlocked spring-wires provided at each end with proper supports, one of which is adapted to be secured to a car and the other to form an abuttingsurface orface-platewhenthe cars are. coupled and the sections brought together, the vestibule connection thus completed being self-sustaining and capable of a; yielding elastic movement in any direction. when the cars are in motion,substantiallyas. 12 5 shown and described.

8. A complete vestibule connectionforcars," consisting of separate similar sections having.

elastic spring body portions consisting of contiguousinterwoven or interlocked spring-1 13o wires and abutting face-plates 3,.provided with connecting devices, whereby the plates are prevented from moving laterally when the cars are in motion, substantially as shown and described.

9. A vestibule connection for cars, consisting, of separate similar sections having elastic spring body portions consisting of contiguous interwoven or interlocked spring-wires and abutting face-plates 3, the face-plates being provided with sockets 9 and bolts or pins 10, as and for the purposes set forth.

10. A vestibule connection for cars, having an elastic spring body portion, the openings or interstices within the springs of which the body portion is composed being filled with flexible material, substantially as shown and described.

11. A vestibule connection for cars, having an elastic spring body portion consisting of contiguous interwoven or interlocked springwlres, in combination with a covering composed of a loose flexible material, substantially as shown and described.

12. A vestibule connection for cars, having an elastic spring body portion, the openings or interstices within the springs of which the body portion is composed being filled with flexible material, in combination with a covering composed of flexible material, substantially as shown and described.

13. A floor-piece for vestibule connections for cars, consisting partly or wholly of elastic spring-wire matting capable of yielding longitudinally, laterally, and diagonally, substantially as shown and described.

14. A floor-piece for vestibule connections for cars, provided at each end with elastic spring-wire sections capable of yielding longitudinally, laterally, and diagonally, substantially as shown and described.

15. A floor-piece for vestibule connections for cars, provided at each end with elastic spring-wire sections and at the sides of the central portion with rubber strips, substantially as shown and described.

16. The combination, with a vestibule connection for cars,'of a floor-piece attached at each end to the cars, consisting partly or wholly of elastic spring-wire matting capable of yielding longitudinally, laterally, and diagonally, substantially as shown and described.

17. The combination, with a vestibule connection for cars, of a floor-piece provided at each end with elastic spring wire sections capable of yielding longitudinally, laterally, and diagonally, and at the sides of the central portion with yielding strips, substantially as shown and described.

18. A complete vestibule connection for cars, composed of separate similar sections, one attached to each car,having elastic spring body portions consisting of horizontal contiguous interwoven or interlocked spiral springs, the separate sections being united by the coupling of the cars, the connections thus.

completed being self-sustaining and of sufficient flexibility and elasticity to yield in any direction and adjust itself to the various movements of the cars when in motion, substantially as shown and described.

19. A vestibule connection for cars,having an elastic spring body portion consisting of contiguous interwoven orinterlocked springwires, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES KENT GRIFFIN.

\Vitnesses:

IRA R. STEWARD, C. L. DAVIS. 

